Odyssey
by Jacen200015
Summary: An accident sweeps nine year old Anakin into the past before he is born and he finds himself in the Jedi Temple. No one can hear him, no one can see him, no one except for one person.
1. Prologue

**Title: **Odyssey**  
Author: **jacen200015**  
Timeframe: **Pre-TPM and onwards**  
Characters: **Anakin, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon**  
Genre: **AU**  
Keywords:  
Summary: **An accident sweeps nine year old Anakin into the past before he is born and he finds himself in the Jedi Temple. No one can hear him, no one can see him, no one except for one person. **  
Notes and Disclaimer:** Spoilers from the Jedi Apprentice books. I don't own any of the star wars stuff, I'm just borrowing it for awhile. No money is being made from this.

* * *

**Prologue**

"Ani, it's time for bed." Shmi called outside where Anakin was working on his podracer.

Anakin frowned as he continued trying to get the left engine assembled. He grabbed another tool and another piece of the engine he had repaired and put the piece in the appropriate place but found that it one of the connector's was a couple centimeters to big. "Poodoo!" He said in frustration. _This is so not fair!_ He took the part out and examined it with his greasy fingers. _Okay, what is wrong with this part._ He yawned and shook his head as he fought to stay awake.

"Ani, I'm not telling you again!"

"Just a couple more minutes, mom!" He yelled back. He grabbed another tool from his toolbox and made some adjustments to the troublesome connection. Satisfied with the results, he placed the piece back into the engine and began linking various wires to it. As he made the last connection, he felt a strange jolt go through him and then nothing. He felt himself falling, falling through endless darkness. There was no sound and soon the feeling of falling faded away.

It was a startled surprise when all senses returned to him at once. The air was different, better, but how or why eluded him. He heard the sound of many voices, footsteps hurrying to and fro. His vision steadily improved as the light became less glaring. He saw strange people in brown cloaks walking around in a large chamber, mainly beings under the age of thirteen, he guessed from their size.

"Um, hello?" He called, but no one paid him any attention. _What's going on here? Is this just a dream?_ He pinched his arm and winced. _Okay so this is not a dream. Where am I?_

He ran up to a human male with blond hair. "Hello, can you help me?"

The boy ignored him and walked away from him.

Anakin touched grabbed the boy's arm, felt the strong scratchy texture of the cloak, but the boy only looked around in confusion before moving on.

A knot formed in Anakin's stomach and he whirled around, uncertain of what to do. "If this is not a dream then what is this!" Swallowing hard, Anakin ran down one of the corridors, and found himself in a room filled with plants. The sight did nothing to quell Anakin's unease and only frightened him further. He ran deeper into the garden and found a large bush with an opening he could crawl through. He curled himself up into a ball and tears slowly made their way down his cheeks.

He wasn't sure for how long he had been sitting there crying, but some time later he detected the sound of footsteps approaching his hiding place. A young boy who was a little bit older than him with unruly ginger hair and light blue eyes knelt down near the opening.

"What's wrong? I heard you crying." The ginger haired boy asked.

Anakin wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. "You heard me?"

"It's alright to cry." The ginger haired boy responded.

"No, I mean yes." Anakin shook his head. "It's just that no one else seemed to hear me when I try speaking to them and everyone except you don't see me."

The ginger haired boy frowned. "I'm not sure I understand."

Anakin crawled out of his hiding place and tugged at the boy's hand. "Come on, I'll show you."

They walked along the garden's path until they came across a middle aged human male tending to some flowers in the garden. Anakin released Anakin's hand and walked up to the man. "Hello, what are you doing?"

The man continued pulling weeds, unaware that Anakin was speaking to him.

Anakin grabbed the man's arm, stopping him from pulling out another weed.

The man straightened and looked around and smiled when he saw a familiar face. "Hi there, young one. Have you come to help garden today?"

The ginger haired boy shook his head. "Sorry, Master Ciumas, but not today. I have to meet with Master Yoda soon."

"Ah, that is quite all right. May the Force be with you during the lightsaber tournament."

"Thank you, Master Ciumas." The ginger haired boy gave a short bow and the Master returned back to work.

"See, I told you." Anakin said as he joined the ginger haired boy.

The ginger haired boy scratched the back of his head as they continued to walk along the path. "It is strange. I mean, you can't be a ghost, but at the same time it's like you're not actually here." The boy glanced around as he noticed a few Jedi glance at him. In a lower voice he said. "Wait till we get to my room and then we'll talk."

Anakin nodded and followed the boy back to the chamber he had appeared in and into a different corridor that appeared to be dorm rooms since they had name plates next to each door.

Finally they came to the one that was the boy's and they entered. Inside the room was a small cot and above the cot, floating on repulsorlift fields were three Verpine fighter models. There was a desk and a chair next to the wall facing away from the foot of the bed where books and charts were laying in a jumbled pile. On the wall in between a dresser and the cot hung a cylinder object in between two supporting pegs in the wall.

"Wow, did you make those model fighters yourself?" Anakin asked.

"Yep." He sat down on the cot and gestured for Anakin to join him. "What's your name?"

Anakin sat down next to the boy and held out his hand. "I'm Anakin Skywalker."

The ginger haired boy shook Anakin's hand. "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"So…how did you wind up in the Temple?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin shrugged. "I don't know. I was trying to connect a part that goes into an engine and then there was this jolting feeling and then I was here."

Obi-Wan wrapped his left arm around Anakin's shoulders and hugged him. "Don't worry, it'll be all right. Master Yoda will be able to help you, he is the wisest of the Masters."

Anakin tried to smile, but it was a half hearted attempt.

Obi-Wan squeezed Anakin's shoulder and then got up and grabbed the cylinder object and hooked it to his belt.

"Is that a lightsaber?" Anakin asked, finally placing the cylinder to a holopicture of a lightsaber a pilot had shown him once.

"Yes. I'm a Jedi in training." Obi-Wan said with a smile. "Come on, I'm to meet Master Yoda in one of the meditation rooms."

Anakin followed Obi-Wan through a series of corridors and at one point to a turbolift where they went two floors up.

"This place is huge." Anakin said, his eyes wide as he took everything in as they walked. "Do you ever get lost?"

Obi-Wan laughed, "When I was younger I used to get lost while exploring. It's best to stick with large groups that are going to the same places you are until you're familiar with the routes."

They reached the meditation room Yoda had asked Obi-Wan to come to and they entered to find the room empty except for plump brown cushions in a circle on the floor.

"We're early." Obi-Wan said and he went to sit down cross-legged on one of the cushions.

Anakin sat down on a cushion that was next to Obi-Wan's and looked around the plain room that glowed with a gentle light that originated from someplace Anakin couldn't see.

"Where are you from?"

"Tatooine."

"Wow, that is all the way out in the outer rim."

Anakin nodded and a wave of homesickness swept through him. "I miss my mother."

The door of the meditation room slid open and a short green person with pointy ears and a gimmer stick in hand entered the room.

"He is Master Yoda? I thought he would be taller."

Obi-Wan stood up and bowed to Yoda.

"Ready for the lightsaber tournament are you, young Obi-Wan?"

"Yes Master."

Yoda pulled out a blindfold from the inside pocket of his cloak and handed it to Obi-Wan. "See, we shall."

Obi-Wan took the blindfold but didn't put it on. "Master Yoda, do you sense anyone else in this room besides us?"

Yoda searched the room with the Force and shook his head. "No other I sense."

Obi-Wan pressed his lips together in a thin line, beginning to wonder if Yoda would believe him. "Well, um, this might sound strange, but I found this boy in the garden who only I can apparently see and hear. He can't go through things, he is able to feel things with his hands and move things like a normal person and he looks whole and not see-through so he can't be a ghost."

Yoda's ears rose as he heard this. Obi-Wan did not have a habit of making things up, but the past couple of weeks had been stressful on him. "Perhaps tired you just are."

"I'm serious Master Yoda." Obi-Wan turned his head toward Anakin. "Anakin, take Yoda's gimmer stick out of his hand."

Anakin ran over to Yoda and swiped the gimmer stick from Yoda's hand and then gave it to Obi-Wan who handed it back to Yoda.

"Mmm. Strange this is. Meditate on this I will. For now it is time for your exercise." Yoda said.

Anakin watched Obi-Wan tie the blindfold over his eyes and then followed Obi-Wan and Yoda out of the meditation room to another nearby room. In the next room was another boy with Shocking white hair, dressed in a light brown tunic and brown pants with dark brown boots. He too had a blindfold over his eyes.

The room itself had an uneven floor and scattered piles of blocks littering the floor. Anakin followed Yoda and stood beside him as the two boys took up position facing each other with unlit lightsabers in their hands. "You guys are going to fight with blindfolds over your eyes? How can you see to fight?"

Obi-Wan bowed to his opponent and his opponent did the same. Speaking out loud in response to Anakin would make him seem crazy to his opponent and he didn't feel like getting teased. His opponent ignited his lightsaber and Obi-Wan did the same. Reaching out with the Force he attempted to send Anakin a reply a different way. /We use the Force./

Anakin jerked back in surprise and looked at Obi-Wan with wide eyes as Obi-Wan and his opponent began to duel. "How did you speak inside my mind?"

Obi-Wan dodged a lightsaber swing to his side and blocked the next swing with his blade. /I used the Force. I'll tell you more about it later, right now I need to focus./

"Oh, sorry." Anakin said a bit sheepishly as Obi-Wan's opponent's blade passed over hiss head, singing only a few hairs.

"Good." Yoda called out. "Let go. Let your feelings guide you."

"Come on, Obi-Wan, you can beat him!" Anakin cheered next to Yoda. He watched in fascination as the duelers fought back and forth in the room, blocking each others blows, dodging strikes, and moving across the uneven ground without tripping.

"Keep your guard up!" Yoda warned as Obi-Wan narrowly missed stumbling into a large pile of blocks.

Anakin bounced on his feet in excitement, his predicament temporarily swept aside in favor of enjoying the duel.

Obi-Wan's blade scorched his opponent's neck and his opponent cried out in pain and irritation.

"That was a lucky blow!" Obi-Wan's opponent shouted.

"Hey, he's cheating." Anakin said as he saw Obi-Wan's opponent take off his blindfold.

"Bruck," Yoda said in a calm voice. Leave your blindfold on. A Jedi needs not his eyes to see."

"You clumsy oaf!" Bruck shouted, throwing his blindfold angrily to the ground.

"Hey! That's not nice!" Anakin shouted although he knew that Bruck could not hear him.

"Calm yourself, you will!" Yoda warned, his tone sharper now.

"Come on, Oafy," Bruck taunted. "See if you can hit me again! One last time, before they throw you out of the Temple!"

Anakin scowled and clenched his fists. How dare Bruck talk like that to Obi-Wan.

/Calm down, Anakin. I have this under control./ Obi-Wan told Anakin soothingly even though inside he had to fight to keep his irritation at Bruck from bubbling up.

"Bruck, enough!" Yoda said. "Learn to lose as well as win, a Jedi must. Go to your room, you will."

"You don't have to send him away, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said. "I'm not afraid to fight him without his blindfold."

Anakin saw Bruck's cheeks color and ice blue eyes narrow.

"All right. Continue. Much to learn, you have. Use the blindfolds, you must." Yoda responded.

/That was not what I was hoping Yoda would say./ Obi-Wan grumbled. He turned towards Yoda and bowed to him in acceptance. He tightened his blindfold before assuming a defensive stance facing Bruck.

"Come on, Obi-Wan, you can do it! Teach Bruck a lesson!" Anakin shouted.

Again the match was on. Lightsabers clashed, creating sparks, Obi-Wan jumped away gracefully from the attacks Bruck launched and blocked the blows he did not avoid. Steadily Obi-Wan wore Bruck down, never attacking. This dance continued until finally Bruck gave up.

Obi-Wan tugged the blindfold off and used it to wipe the sweat off of his face.

"Good, Obi-Wan," Yoda called. "Learning you are. You see, to defeat an enemy, you do not have to kill. Defeat the rage that burns in him, and he is your enemy no longer. Rage the true enemy is. Enough for one day, tomorrow, a Jedi Knight comes to the Temple seeking a Padawan. Ready for him you must be."

"Who?" Obi-Wan asked, his heart pounding furiously in his chest. "Who's coming?"

"Seen him before, you have," Yoda said. "Master Qui-Gon Jinn."

Anakin watched as excitement crossed Obi-Wan's face but was soon followed by a look of defeat.

"He won't want me. He's seen me fight before, and he did not choose me then. No one will." Obi-Wan responded

"Hummmph! Always in motion the future is. One cannot be sure, but I have sensed…a kinder destiny for you."

"Will he choose me?" Obi-Wan asked in a now hopeful voice.

"On Qui-Gon that depends—and you," Yoda said. "Come back tomorrow and fight for him with the Force as your ally. Perhaps accept you he will." Yoda placed his hand on Obi-Wan's arm in a comforting gesture. "Either way, it matters not. Leave the Temple soon you shall. But tell you I must, to lose such an apt pupil, I am sorry."

"But if you're a really good pupil why are they going to kick you out?" Anakin asked in confusion as Yoda began to walk to the exit.

/Rules. One needs to have a Master before one's thirteen in order to continue with their training. The Jedi Order has had this rule for centuries./ Obi-Wan responded.

Bruck began to laugh as soon as Yoda was outside the room and the door had closed behind him. "Don't get your hopes up, Oafy. Yoda is just trying to make you feel better. The Masters won't be able to push you onto anyone. There are plenty of better candidates than you." Bruck crossed his arms and gave Obi-Wan a false look of sympathy.

Anakin marched up to Bruck, wanting to yell something back at him, but since he couldn't be heard decided to give him a good kick.

Obi-Wan saw Anakin move his leg back in preparation of a kick and frowned. /Anakin, don't. Let's go./

Anakin sighed and stuck his tongue out at Bruck instead. He was about to Follow Obi-Wan when he spotted a round object hurdling through the hair. "Obi-Wan, duck!"

The warning came to late as the object struck Obi-Wan hard in the neck. Obi-Wan spun around, pain still exploding in his neck. His irritation and anger at Bruck exploded to the surface and his face grew red.

"Ready for another round?" Bruck asked.

"You knew all along that Qui-Gon Jinn was coming to search for a Padawan didn't you," Obi-Wan said, his control over his emotions slipping away.

Bruck laughed. "I made sure you didn't find out. If I'd had my way, you wouldn't have found out until he left."

Anakin looked worriedly at Obi-Wan and Bruck and slowly moved to the far end of the room. The room was becoming suffocated with heated emotions and Anakin could easily spot the tell tale warning singles in the older boys that a major fight was brewing. "Obi-Wan, I think we should just leave."

Obi-Wan ignored Anakin and smiled at Bruck. "Bruck, three months from now, when you turn thirteen, I hope you'll make a great farmer." As soon as the last word left his mouth, Bruck attacked with a fury.

Anakin watched the fight with wide eyes, and several times had to quickly move out of the way to avoid a lightsaber, flying rocks, and falling bodies. Several times he got caught in Force pushes the older boys would send at each other.

Several long minutes passed before both of the older boys collapsed in exhaustion. They both sported a number of burns and bruises and Bruck's nose was bleeding.

Obi-Wan got up first and placed his lightsaber on his belt as he headed out of the room without a word. Anakin followed right behind him.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Anakin silently watched as Obi-Wan took some bacta patches and bandages from the refresher in his room and began treating his burns and bruises.

"Does Bruck pick on you a lot?" Anakin asked, sitting down on the bed next to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan winced as he applied bacta to a burn on his side. "He didn't used to until a year ago after I apparently bruised his pride. I had accidently stumbled in a corridor and tripped over Bruck, causing him to fall. His friends saw what had happened and laughed at him."

"Oh." Anakin yawned and laid down on the cot behind Obi-Wan. "Is training to become a Jedi hard?"

"It has its challenges. The first major challenge is becoming a Padawan."

Anakin plumped the pillow beneath his head and laid on his side.

There was a nock on the door and a tall, blue-skinned woman entered. She had a stylish headtail that was twitching nervously. Anakin sat up, getting a bad feeling that there was something on the datapad she was holding that was not going to be good.

Obi-Wan took the datapad she handed to him and he quickly read the contents. His heart fell as he read the orders.

Anakin peeked over Obi-Wan's shoulders to read what was on the datapad.

Obi-Wan looked up at Docent Vant, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Here now, it isn't that horrible," Docent Vant said.

"But I don't understand. I still have four weeks until my birthday." Obi-Wan protested.

"I know," Docent Vant said. "But your ship, the _Monument_, leaves tomorrow, with a thousand miners aboard. It can't wait because you have a birthday."

"That's not fair." Anakin said.

"I could still be a Jedi Knight." Obi-Wan said, his voice wavering.

"Not everyone is meant to be a warrior. The Republic needs healers and farmers, too. With your Force skills, you will be able to treat sick crops. Your talent will help feed whole worlds."

"But—. It's a job for rejects, initiates too weak to be Knights. Besides, tomorrow Qui-Gon Jinn will be looking for a Padawan. Master Yoda said that I should fight for him." Obi-Wan protested, trying to figure out a way out of this mess.

"That was before the Masters heard of the beating you gave to initiate Bruck. Did you really think that the healers would not tell what you had done?" Docent Vant asked in a scolding tone.

Obi-Wan paled as it suddenly came clear to him what Bruck had done.

Anakin gaped and wished he could be heard by her. Bruck was a lying little snake.

"This is not the first time that you have let your anger get the best of you," Docent Vant said. "But let us hope that it is for the last. Now, try not to look so sad. You will need to pack your bags and say goodbye to your friends tonight. The galaxy is a big place. They will want to see you before you go."

As soon as she left, Anakin jumped off of the bed and looked at Obi-Wan whose face had paled. "Bruck can't get away with doing this to you. It's not fair. He started the fight first."

Obi-Wan rubbed at his eyes with his hands as his eyes filled with tears. "I shouldn't have lost control. I shouldn't have reacted." A sudden burst of anger rose from Obi-Wan and he threw the datapad hard at the wall where the door was. Made of durable material, the datapad simply bounced off the wall and landed safely on the floor.

"Maybe if you explain it to Master Yoda then you won't have to go. They didn't get to hear your side of the story." Anakin said, sitting back down on the bed.

Obi-Wan Force pulled the datapad back to him and tossed it at the wall again with the same result. Flopping backwards onto the cot, Obi-Wan stared up at the model fighters. "What good will that do? Even if I was to compete tomorrow in the tournament it will probably be the last time Master Jinn is in the Temple before my birthday if he doesn't choose me then and he seems to be my only chance. He'll probably have heard about the fight I had with Bruck before the tournament and decide against choosing me."

Outside the room they began hearing the other initiates shout out their goodnights and close their doors as they prepared to go to bed. Obi-Wan busied himself packing his bags while Anakin watched and then sat back on the cot when he was done. A soft knock was heard outside Obi-Wan's door just as he sat down and the door to his room opened as the corridor lights were turned down.

Anakin noticed that the Mon Calmarian girl wore a green colored robe, going against what seemed to be the traditional brown. There was an unfamiliar smell about her that he couldn't identify even though he recalled the little information he knew of Mon Calamarians.

Obi-Wan stood up, but did not approach her.

"You weren't going to say good-bye?" She asked, her large eyes blinking away large tears. "You were just going to leave?"

"I've been assigned to the Agricultural Corps. I wanted to say good-bye, but…" Obi-Wan hung his head.

She shook her head. "I heard you are going to a planet called Bandomeer."

Obi-Wan swallowed, his throat tight. He walked up to her and hugged her. "Yes, that's where I'm going."

She frowned and stepped back. "It will be dangerous. Did they tell you it would be dangerous?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "It's just the Agricultural Corps. How dangerous could it get?"

"We are not to know," she said.

"We are to do." Obi-Wan added softly.

"Miss you, I will," she continued.

"So sorry, I am." Obi-Wan answered.

The Mon Calamarian girl gave him a swift hug before hurrying away so that he would not see her tears.

"News sure travels fast." Anakin said after she had left. "What is her name?"

"Bant." Obi-Wan responded.

Anakin picked up Obi-Wan's lightsaber where it was hanging in between the dresser and the cot and examined it. "Do you think I can use one of these?"

Obi-Wan turned around to face Anakin, frowning. "Only those who are Force sensitive can use lightsabers. Lightsabers are more than just another weapon, it's an extension of ourselves, it's a symbol."

"How do you know if someone is Force sensitive?"

"There are two ways one can tell. The blood test is a commonly used way, especially for those who are not Force sensitive who help Jedi find potential initiates. The blood test counts the number of midichlorians a person has. The higher the count, the greater the potential. Midichlorians microscopic lifeforms that live inside our cells and act like a shield guards. They dictate how much the Force can flow through a person and how much a person can draw upon the Force. It is possible for a Jedi to go beyond the limits, but there is a critical point where a Jedi can literally burn themselves out." Obi-Wan explained. "The second test can only be performed by a Force sensitive and it involves a simple prod at a specific area of a person's mind."

"Could you try that second test on me?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan stared into Anakin's bright blue eyes for a few seconds before nodding. "I can, but don't get your hopes up." He placed the first two fingers of his right hand in the middle of Anakin's forehead, closed his eyes and sent a small Force prod at the triggerspot, the most sensitive place one can touch a Force sensitive's mind.

A powerful wave of the Force exploded from Anakin, sending Obi-Wan flying backwards and slamming into the wall.

Anakin gaped in shock and ran over to Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan, are you all right? Did I do that? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"

Obi-Wan groaned in response as he lay on the floor. He had only just managed to cushion his impact with the Force, but it still had hurt.

"Can you move?" Anakin asked.

"Just give me a sec." Obi-Wan took his several long breaths and breathed out slowly. While he did that he used the Force to check to make sure he hadn't gotten hurt to badly. He then carefully stood up and did a few stretches. "I guess that's why everyone does the blood test," Obi-Wan said with a chuckle.

Anakin frowned, he just couldn't see the humor in it.

Obi-Wan playfully ruffled Anakin's hair. "You, my young friend, are very much Force sensitive.

Anakin grinned, his bright blue eyes sparkling. "Does that mean I can become a Jedi too?"

"Well, um, you could, but the Council is very strict about what age a child starts their training. The maximum age so far of a potential Jedi entering the Order has been three."

Anakin scrunched up his nose. "Another age rule. There are too many dumb rules."

Obi-Wan picked up his lightsaber that was laying on the cot. "Maybe."

"Can you just be a Jedi without the Order?"

"I don't know. I guess. But then you lose the connection one has with other Force sensitives. Once one is open to the ways of the Force it is hard to stay away from other Force sensitives. At least that is what I have heard from some Knights." Obi-Wan flopped down on the cot and rubbed at his eyes as his eyelids drooped heavily.

"Why not create your own Order then?"

Obi-Wan sat back up and looked at Anakin in disbelief. "Did I just hear you correctly?"

Anakin nodded, his face serious. "It just, seems, right."

"But…but—" Obi-Wan sputtered. "But I'm not even fully trained yet and it can't be simple to create a whole new Order. And if the Order needs changing than why not change it from the inside?"

Anakin shrugged. "Are there Jedi who are not part of the Order anymore?"

"Well, yeah, but I only know of one and he's a dark Jedi."

"So what's the problem?"

Obi-Wan ran his hand through his hair, sleep forgotten. "A dark Jedi is one who uses the darkside of the Force."

"The Force has sides? Isn't it more in how a person uses the Force than actually the Force having sides?"

"Augh!" Obi-Wan began to pace the room, not liking the questions that Anakin was throwing at him. "I should meditate on this."

"Can I meditate too?"

Obi-Wan stopped pacing and sat down cross-legged on the floor. "Come on, I'll show you how to do it."

Anakin hopped over to Obi-Wan and sat down across from him, copying the way Obi-Wan was sitting.

"Now close your eyes." Obi-Wan said.

Anakin listened carefully to Obi-Wan's instructions and soon he found himself flying through space, weightless, yet feeling as if one was sliding down a sand dune except that it was smooth, not scratchy. Anakin smiled widely as he traveled and saw different planets, moons, and suns. There was a low murmur of many voices and he felt himself relaxing, like he was finding the center of something.

Obi-Wan came out of his meditation before Anakin did and looked at the clock that was on his dresser and saw that it was almost midnight. His meditation had been refreshing and fruitful, but confusing. The Force was urging him onto a new path, one where he was unsure of where his future lay if he went on it. He would have to do the unthinkable on this new path the Force was showing him, but was it worth it? What would happen if he didn't?

Meanwhile, Anakin abruptly came out of his meditation, breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin swallowed and shuddered, trying to rid himself of the unpleasantness that he had encountered. "I'm okay, It was nothing."

Obi-Wan's gaze narrowed. Anakin had encountered something that disturbed him, he could see it in his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Anakin nodded. "Can we go get something to eat? I'm hungry."

Obi-Wan stood up and helped Anakin up. "Sure. I know a secret way into the cafeteria."

Anakin smiled up at him and Obi-Wan smiled back as they left the room.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Anakin picked up a piece of fruit he had put on his plate and bit into its thick, juicy flesh.

Obi-Wan watched from across the table, his plate of food remaining untouched. "Do you think that you being here is Force related?"

Anakin shrugged his shoulders as he finished chewing. "I don't know very much of the Force to really answer that."

"Right." Obi-Wan leaned back in his seat and rubbed his chin. "It's weird, almost like a dream, but not. I'm the only one who can see, hear, and touch you. Plus you are able to eat food."

Anakin slowly chewed another piece of fruit. "Perhaps you are the only one allowed to know I'm here?"

"Or this is one weird real feeling dream." Obi-Wan gave himself a pinch on the arm. "Nope, unless pinching yourself does not actually work in waking yourself from a dream."

Anakin pinched himself too and then shrugged his shoulders. "Who would think of pinching theirselves during a dream anyway?"

"Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan turned his head toward the person who had spoken and froze. "Siri…" he sputtered out, "Wh…what are you doing here?"

"Getting a late night snack." She eyed the two plates on the table, noting that the one in front of Obi-Wan hadn't been touched yet and the plate across from him had half eaten food on it. "You should finish your first plate before getting another plate of food."

"I…" Obi-Wan's cheeks burned. "It's not mine. I'm not the only one who goes to the cafeteria at night."

"There is no one else in the cafeteria. It's just you and me and everyone always cleans up their own mess before leaving the cafeteria." Siri responded and sat on opposite Obi-Wan, causing Anakin to scoot out of the way. She moved the half eaten plate of food to the side and set her own plate on the table.

Anakin rolled his eyes and watched as Obi-Wan's cheeks grew redder.

"I heard about the fight you had with Bruck." Siri stated and took a bite of a piece of buttered bread on her plate.

Obi-Wan looked up from his plate and glared at her. "Why is it people always assume it is my fault when Bruck and I have a fight?"

"You're older than him." Siri responded.

"Only by a few months!" Obi-Wan retorted.

Siri shrugged her shoulders and went to sit next to him. "Are you really going to be leaving tomorrow?"

Obi-Wan slowly nodded his head. "I've been assigned to the agricorps…but I don't intend to stay there forever."

"Where will you go?" Siri asked, her blue eyes shining with curiosity.

"I'm not sure." Obi-Wan speared a piece of fruit on his plate and ate it.

"Maybe you'll actually like working in the agricorps." Siri said after a brief moment of silence.

Obi-Wan pushed his plate a few inches away from him, "No, I'm meant to be a Jedi Knight."

Anakin scooted along the seat until he was sitting next to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan stood up and collected Anakin and his dishes. "Night, Siri."

Anakin blinked, a bit surprised by Obi-Wan's abrupt departure. He looked at Siri to see that she was watching Obi-Wan leave.

Siri turned back to her snack after Obi-Wan disappeared into the kitchen and pushed the plate away from her. "I know. If only you knew what Master Yoda has been doing."

Anakin's face scrunched up in confusion at her whispered words. _What does she mean? What did Yoda do?_ Standing, Anakin made his way into the kitchen in time to see Obi-Wan leave through the back entrance. "Hey, wait for me! Anakin shouted and ran after him.

Obi-Wan didn't slow and instead increased his speed. Anakin struggled to keep up as they ran up a grand staircase, through several corridors and then to a turbolift. Anakin reached the turbolift just as the doors shut and the turbolift began its ascent. Impatiently Anakin watched the numbers flash on a screen above the doors until it stopped two floors above him.

Anakin rushed to the turbolift that was next to it and pressed the button to open the doors. A few minutes later he was on the floor that Obi-Wan had gone to but Obi-Wan was nowhere in sight. /Obi-Wan? Where are you?/ He asked but got no response.

Frowning, Anakin closed his eyes and reached for the Force like he had during his meditation. It came quickly to his call and he sent it outwards in search of Obi-Wan's presence. He remembered vaguely of a memory when he was four years old and had gotten separated from his mother in the marketplace, somehow he had been able to find her, there was something he was able to grab onto to find her.

There, a familiar presence. Anakin's eyes snapped open and he ran in the direction that the Force indicated. Soon he found himself in a large room with odd structures that spouted water and dumped it into large basin's that surrounded them.

Anakin's eyes grew wide at the sight. Water. So much water. He reverently approached one of the structures and dipped his hand into the water. It was cool and wet, so wet. A sharp contrast to dry blistering heat.

He pulled his hand out, feeling a little guilty. One never treated water this way on Tatooine. Water was precious, needed for survival. Shaking the water off of his hand and wiping the remaining moisture on his arms, Anakin continued his search for Obi-Wan.

Anakin finally found Obi-Wan sitting against the side of one of the basins, head in his hands. Sitting down beside him, Anakin touched Obi-Wan's shoulder.

Obi-Wan looked up at Anakin, his eyes brimming with tears. "We're taught from infancy to accept change and to let go, but I don't think I can do it. The Temple is my home, it's what I know and is where my friends are."

"You can make new friends." Anakin said.

"Yes, eventually, but they won't be the friends that I have here." Obi-Wan pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and laid down on the patch of green grass that surrounded the basin.

Anakin yawned and found the grass that he had only ever seen in holopicturebooks an inviting place to lay down. Within seconds he followed Obi-Wan into a deep slumber.


End file.
